Jazz Sudbury adding vibrancy to downtown with community piano

The keys to the city were left downtown, actually more like 88 of them.

A colourfully painted piano now sits in front of Kuppajo Espresso bar on Larch Street in downtown Sudbury.

The instrument dubbed "the keys to the city" is meant to remind Sudbury residents that the annual Jazz Festival is coming up next month.

The keys to the city

"We were sort of inspired by a lot a similar projects not only around the world, but even around Canada in some big and small cities" said Marc Gareau, manager of Sudbury's Jazz Festival.

He said they just wanted to bring some more vibrancy to the downtown. He hopes people come to play the piano and admire the artwork on it.

The community piano was painted by local artist and graphic designer Johanna Westby. She is also a professor at Cambrian College.

"This is just another opportunity to contribute to the community," said Westby.

She called the project a challenge and said the piano was a very interesting canvas to paint on, but she likes having new opportunities. "Not just a blank flat canvas".

Westby wanted to make the piano artwork playful, as to invite musicians to play. "It's very lively and it's exciting and hopefully it inspires people with the colour scheme and everything to get playing."

Gareau hopes people just don't admire the colourful piece, but sit down and play music.

Sit down and play

The piano, is available Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends. 

Jazz Sudbury runs from September 7-11 at the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre, as well as several downtown venues.

The festival is in its eighth year. This year it is focusing on female jazz artists.

Morning North6:41A piano in the middle of downtown Sudbury?

Sudbury's annual jazz festival is coming up in September. The organisers of the festival have the piano outside for anyone to play. That's what singer-songwriter Sarah Craig did the other day. We spoke with her and people involved in the project.